The waves of Lethe wash till we forget br Our earthy life and love; and 'twould appear br Before Time's tune possessed us, before we br Let fall the shadow of our meaning here — br Oh, it would seem that in another Lethe br We had been dipped as Death will dip us, to br Wash out the memory of ourselves, as though br Each stage had its own livery, and we threw br Off the old meaning, like the garments that, br Worn and occasion-soiled, men doff when they br Have to look natural in another sphere.